welcome to nhk world "newsline." south koreans will be talking and may be arguing about politics over the next few weeks. the official campaign for their presidential election is about to begin. the latest polls suggest it will come down to a one-on-one race between the nominees of the ruling party and the main opposition. seven people registered their candidacy for the december 19th election. the main candidates are park geun-hye of the governing saenuri party and moon jae-in of the opposition democratic united party.

a weekend opinion poll by public broadcaster kbs suggests nearly 42% of respondents support park geun-hye and about 40% back moon jae-in. whoever wins must address diplomatic relations with an important neighbor, japan. things have been a little rocky because of a territorial dispute. japan claims islands in the waters separating the nations, but south korea controls the territory. and both candidates say that's not up for negotiation. still, park says japan is an important friend. she wants to increase economic cooperation. moon says leaders of both countries should make efforts to prevent the past from hindering ties. but he's firmer on certain cases. he says japanese government officials are distorting historical facts on longstanding issues. the debates over territory and history will continue after south koreans elect a new president. but some business people there say the coverage of these

differences misrepresents what's really going on. they say people from both countries are finding new ways to work together all the time. nhk world's kahu izumitani has shows us. >> reporter: this restaurant serves japanese noodle ramen. the staff here speak japanese. the menu is written in japanese. but this restaurant is in seoul. >> translator: political issues will not affect the popularity of japanese food culture here. >> translator: political disputes and cultural exchanges are completely different issues. >> reporter: now south koreans can dig into japanese food in restaurants all over seoul. two years ago, mika joku and her south korean husband jumped at an opportunity to introduce ramen to the capital.

they modified their recipes a bit to appeal more to the south korean patate, and their business flourished.this month fourth store in seoul. >> translator: i think our i think they enjoy tal our staff without touching on political issues. >> reporter: and the exchanges aren't just cultural. south korean companies such as samsung and lg grew into leading global companies. now managers of japanese firms count them amomomomomo important clients. the south korean government haho government officials have discounted corporate taxes and offered up land at cheap prices.

>> translator: p d d d d d d d t orter: managers of lationship japanese firms jumped at the south koreans' offer. last year investment added up to $22 million u.s. dollars, four times what it was eight years ago. behind me is the industrial estate that opened three years ients clinininininininininininin manufacturer opened a factory ten kilometers away from their

companies worked together to smooth out the production process. they discovered then fixed a glitch in one production line. the change cut costs for both sides. they say they could have only made such progress by working face to face. >> translator: now the japanese companies can supply us with more glass products, and we can bring in good materials. so for us it's a huge advantage. >> reporter: some say in the moment people in both countries see the tensions through a magnifying glass. they say both japanese and south koreans get along just fine,

that they've reached a sense of maturity. kaho izumitani, nhk world seoul. one factor that will influence relations between tokyo and seoul is who gets to be japan's next prime minister. the latest nhk poll suggests japanese voters will focus on domestic issues as they cast their ballot in next month's lower house election. the poll asked japanese voters what matters most. 34% said dealing with the economy. 21% replied reforming social security. and 11% cited energy policy, including the use of nuclear power. the disapproval rate for prime minister yoshihiko noda's cabinet hit a record high at 64%. that's a three percentage point increase from a week ago. the approval rate remained unchanged at 22%. voters were also asked who they would prefer as prime minister. the two choices were the incumbent yoshihiko noda, who heads the democratic party, or

shinzo abe, leader of the opposition's liberal democratic party. 21% of respondents chose noda. 26% favored abe. but almost half, or 49%, said they wanted neither. japan's top government spokesperson says officials are gathering information in anticipation of a possible missile launch by north korea. u.s. satellite images indicate north korea recently transported what are thought to be long-range ballistic missile parts. japan chief cabinet secretary osamu fujimura says his government closely monitors missile-related activities in north korea. >> translator: we will work harder to gather and analyze information and will continue to take thorough measures to secure the peace and safety of the country. >> fujimura denied that north

korea's recent action will have immediate impact on talks between the two countries. he said they're making preparations for the next round of talks. a u.n. human rights expert says the japanese government should do more to protect the health of people affected by the fukushima nuclear accident. u.n. special rapporteur anand grover spent ten days in the disaster-stricken northeast. he was examining whether the health needs of people are properly met. grover criticized the japanese government for its inadequate response to the crisis, including failing to disclose enough data on the spread of radioactive substances immediately after the accident. he said decisions on decontamination and other measures did not take into account the needs of socially disadvantaged groups. grover says they include pregnant women, children, and the elderly. he added that he will urge the japanese government to improve the situation along with submitting what he found.

a final report will be given to the u.n. council in june next year. bank of japan governor masaaki shirakawa has defended the central bank's monetary easing policy. he says the boj has pumped some of the largest amounts of money among industrialized countries into the economy. shirakawa spoke on monday amid criticisms that the bank hasn't taken strong enough easing measures. >> translator: the amount of money the bank of japan provided after the lehman shock is about the same as in the united states and europe that are said to be taking aggressive measures, and japan has faced a financial crisis much earlier. and the bank has started pumping money into the markets since before the lehman crisis. >> shirakawa stressed that the

boj loosened its grip on credit for two straight months in september and october. he also noted drastic deregulation is needed to promote competition among companies and called on the government to take steps to promote personal spending. japan's top business leaders agrees with shirakawa. chairman of the japan business federation hiromasa yonekura says the yen's weakness is a result of the bank of japan's action. the dollar recently rose to a seven-month high. some people in the currency market think that a recent comment by the leader of the opposition liberal democratic party shinzo abe is responsible for the yen's decline. abe called for unconventional monetary easing. >> translator: i don't think that abe's comments moved the market. i think the dollar's rise is the result of monetary easing steps implemented by the bank of japan last month.

>> yonekura also stressed that it's important to stimulate domestic demand with long-term economic strategies to pull the country out of a long period of deflation. japanese trade officials are looking across the pacific to increase demand for the country's products. they've launched talks with their counterparts in canada an enortnehip agreement. the officials are meeting at japan's foreign ministry. >> inderstd d th ourvevevevevev complementary to each other, and i howell, it's certainly our determination that the eventual epa will serve a basis for further strengthening this relationship. >> the two countries trade more than $20 billion u.s. goods and services every year. japan mainly exports cars and electronic equipment.

the japanese want the canadians to cut tariffs, and they want to secure stable supplies of coal and shale gas. the canadians are expected to try to remove tariffs on agricultural products, including wheat and pork. but the japanese will have to weigh the concerns of domestic farmers who fear more competition. with all but two of japan's nuclear reactors offline, the nation's power companies say they are losing money. now the second largest utility in japan plans to hike its rates. if it succeeds, companies and household customers would pay 10% to 20% more for electricity next year. kansai electric power's president makoto yagi asked for permission to raise prices. the company wants household rates to rise by almost 12% and corporate rates by just over 19% from april 2013. yagi says fuel costs for thermal power generation have risen dramatically since last year's

nuclear crisis and cost-cutting measures cannot compensate. if the application is approved, it would be the company's first full-scale rate hike since 1980. japan's finance ministry is doing its share to help rebuild the region that was devastated by last year's earthquake and tsunami. it plans to sell about half the housing facilities for government employees to raise money. ministry officials say they will sell 56,000 units across the country over the next four years to raise about $2 billion. the ministry recently decided to double the rent for the remaining units in a phased plan that's set to begin in april 2014. it's taking the step to counter public criticism that government housing is unfairly cheap. according to a government survey, the avera monthly rent for public service workers is about 20% less than for company employees.

world delegates have gathered to discuss a global solution to green house gas emissions. the 18th round of the u.n. climb change conference known as cop-18 opened in qatar's capital, doha. the main topics of the talks include how long to extend the kyoto protocol. the legally binding plan requires only developed countries to cut their emissions. also on the agenda is creating a schedule for a new framework for all countries from 2020. preparatory talks reveal differences over the plan. advanced nations want to quickly scrap the current framework in which major emitters such as china and india are exempt from reduction targets. developing nations want to put off deciding on a new framework that would oblige them to target such goals. the talks are to last until december 7th.

no end is in sight to protests in egypt over president mohamed morsi's decision to grant himself sweeping powers. a nationwide demonstration is scheduled for tuesday. on sunday a protest in a northern city turned violent. demonstrators clashed with morsi supporters, including members of the muslim brotherhood. the two sides threw stones and gasoline bombs. one person died, and more than 30 were injured. more than 10,000 people staged a sit-in in cairo's tahrir square. they urged morsi to revoke his announcement. the country's ministry of health says about 300 people have been injured in clashes between protesters and security forces. morsi last week added new clauses to the constitution. one says courts cannot reverse his decisions. presidential officials denied

that morsi is consolidating his power. they said he made the decree to protect the democratic process. the struggle for education by girls in pakistan has received global attention since the shooting of malala yousafzai last month. islamic extremists shot the 15-year-old education campaigner, a move that caused outrage among the international community. the incident has exposed the dangers faced by girls in pakistan who want an education. nhk world's cameron masrur reports from islamabad. >> reporter: this junior high school for girls was blown up on november 27th. it was one of many schools in northwest pakistan attacked by militants. the attacks have continued even after last month's shooting of malala yousafzai promised wide criticism. they are thought to be the work

of the pakistani taliban. this girl is a student at the school. >> translator: all the classrooms were destroyed. there is nothing left. >> reporter: for now, she stu studies at home, but she wants to go back to school as quickly as possible. no matter the danger. >> translator: islam allows women's education. why did our school get destroyed? education is our right. >> reporter: an angry message thought to be from a student is written on a blackboard inside this school. >> translator: heaven punished those who destroyed our school. we await allah's revenge. >> reporter: extremists in pakistan have attacked 751

schools in the past ten years. the authorities acknowledge more needs to be done. >> translator: the extremists think if they create a world without education they can increase their presence and take control. we are doing our best to protect schools, but it's not enough. >> reporter: while malala receives treatment for her injuries, schools in pakistan are taking up her cause, trying to turn the tragedy into an opportunity. this school changed its name to malala out of respect for her courage and to highlight the importance of educating women. october 10th was designated malala's day.

children and human rights activists gathered in pakistani city to show solidarity with her. children in the northwest have ignored warnings by islamic extremists and have returned to damaged schools. repairs have not yet finished, but already some classes have resumed. girls go to school without giving in to terrorism. malala is starting to spread across pakistan. kamran masroor, nhk world, islamabad. thousands of angry textile workers have take on the streets of the bangladeshi capital of dhaka. they're demanding safer working conditions after a blaze swept through a garment a factory over the weekend, killing more than 100 people. the demonstrations took place near where the fire erupted on saturday. protesters blocked roads and

forced several factories to close. they demanded those responsible to be punished. the fire killed 112 people and injured more than 150. police and other officials say narrow exits in the nine-story building trapped workers inside. reuters says the president of the national garment workers federation has blamed the disaster on poor safety standards and neglect for workers' rights. another fire broke out in a garment factory on monday, but no casualties were reported. reuters says bangladesh is the world's second biggest exporter of clothing. officials say at least 500 people have died in clothing factory accidents in the country since 2006. the city of kyoto attracts tourists all year round for its ancient gardens, buildings, and treasures. people from all over have come to see the landscape change. they want to experience what the japanese call the autumn colors.

we'll have reports all week from kyoto. our series begins with nhk world's rina nakano. >> reporter: clouds flocked to the zen buddhist temple every year to look at the autumn leaves. it's quite chilly and a little bit rainy, but that didn't discourage people from visiting. people started gathering at around 7:30 this morning. now, the first thing they look at is that, an ancient bridge. it's the best place to see the foliage. from there, visitors look out on hundreds of maple trees that grow in the gorge. people say standing on the bridge is like floating on a red cloud. they say it's a feeling one can only experience here. temple officials say some of these maples date all the way back to the beginnings. workers started constructing it in the 13th century.

the temple has stood for more than 750 years, but it didn't always look like this. some 600 years ago, it was known for its cherry blossoms. people enjoyed picnics here and with their meals and sake. but the party mood didn't fit too well with the monks, who were trying to concentrate and meditate. so temple leaders ordered all cherry blossoms to be chopped down except for four, and officials decided to replace them with 2,000 maples. well, little did they know that the maples would also be bringing in a crowd. but the one difference is when people come here to see the fall colors they don't bring alcohol, so the monks who live here say they're fine with that. and that's how the maples survived the centuries. but the leaves won't last forever. they say that it will be gone by the end of the week. in kyoto, i'm rina nakano, nhk world. and rinna will be back

tomorr tomorrow, all week, in fact. it was rain bots and umbrellas in tokyo, but sunnier weather for tomorrow. for the forecast, here's rachel ferguson. rachel? hi, there. yes, it is looking like it's going to be quite a pleasant day in tokyo here and across much of japan as one large system moves away. however, what will be left behind is some snow up towards the north. you could see 30 to 40 centimeters of snow in hokkaido and western tohoku as well. it's going to be quite gusty here, as well so, that snow is going to be buffeted around, reducing visibility. all right. we're going to be talking about some more snow, as well, heading into northeastern china. it's got to move through mongolia first. that can be bringing some cooler temperatures in, as well. there's already been some snow in northwestern china that's been causing quite a problem. take a look at this video showing you what happened when those roads became slick on sunday with heavy snow, causing at least 46 vehicles to become

damaged in a multicar pileup in the beijing tibet expressway. unfortunately, one person did die in this accident. another five were injured. following the accident, three people were trapped in the wreckage. local firefighters and nearby motorists helped to free them after a three-hour ordeal. now, it's still very cold in the region, but thankfully that snow has started to taper off now. heading back to our bigger picture, we'll be seeing pretty clear conditions for the rest of china, but down towards the south we've got this rain band maybe bringing about 50 millimeters of rain in some places so, fairly significant. some showers for western indochina as well as for the philippines. temperatures down here are going to be pretty comfortable, 34 degrees in manila, even on the hot side. in, but 17 degrees in hong kong. further up towards the north, minus 15 in ulan bator, and that's your high, remember, on

tuesday, 16 in beijiaeijing and seoul. quite quiet in the americas. we are watching the east for stormy activity moving in towards the mid-atlantic region. now, the worse of the storms is going to be around here, around texas into louisiana. you could see some large hail causing a problem. five center diameter hail can really cause quite a problem as i'm sure many of you know. this rain is going to be heading up towards the northeast, and i say rain, but once it hits those cooler temperatures, we will see some snow even coming into you in new york city. take a look at these temperatures and you'll find out why. we've got 8 in new york on monday, but tuesday your high's going to be 4 degrees as it is in toronto today, just at the freezing point in chicago on your monday, as well, minus 12 in winnipeg for the high, the lows around minus 29. so bundle up up is probably a bit of an understatement. in the south, temperatures still in the mid to upper 20s. all right. we head into europe. another day of rain for the

british isles. you could see as much as 50 to 70 millimeters additional rainfall into your tuesday, certainly enough to add to that flooding problem in lower lying areas. now, into wednesday, high pressure is going to move the out. you'll see a much clearer day. but central locations are just going to be getting started. the alpine region in particular and parts of eastern france. further out towards the east, not too much in the way of wet weather here. in fact, it's going to be fairly dry and quiet. but temperatures are starting to fall away. minus 1 in moscow for the high. we have 5 degrees in kiev and 5 also in stockholm, still managing to old onto the 20s in rome, though, 21 degrees for your tuesday. here's your extended forecast. ♪

we'll be back with more updates in 30 minutes. i'm gene otani in tokyo. from all of us here at nhk world, thanks for join us. have a great day wherever you

are.